Proto Labs is the world's fastest custom manufacturer of prototype and low-volume parts. Our Firstcut® CNC machining and Protomold® injection molding services provide real parts from a 3D CAD model in as fast as one business day.

In 2011 we will award up to $100,000 in Firstcut CNC machining services and/or Protomold injection molding services to people who have a cool idea for a product and submit 3D CAD models of their parts. One or more awards may be granted each quarter with the aggregate of all awards not to exceed $100,000.

Unlike other awards that recognize products or innovative design after the product has already been created, the Cool Idea! program will help designers take their product idea or part from a 3D CAD model to its first-run production stage by utilizing Proto Labs‟ proprietary Firstcut CNC machining or Protomold injection-molding services. Winners can use their fully functional Firstcut and Protomold parts for prototyping, design iterations, testing, or even an initial production run—in short, helping move a project from pie-in-the-sky to product-on-the-shelf.

And that's our goal. What we want to do is recognize innovative thinking at a point where we can help convert those ideas into real-life coolness.